Nehemiah 13:1-16 ▼

1 And that day dyd they read in the booke of Moyses in the audience of the people, and therein was founde written, that the Ammonites, & Moabites shoulde neuer come into the congregation of God,

2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them: and our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 Nowe when they had hearde the law, they separated from Israel euery one that had mixt him selfe therin.

4 And before this had the priest Eliasib the ouersight of the treasurie of the house of our God, and he was kynsman vnto Tobia,

5 And had made hym a great chamber, and there had they afore time layed the offringes, frankencence, vessels, and the tythes of corne, wine, and oyle according to the commaundementes geuen to the Leuites, singers and porters, and the heaue offringes of the priestes.

6 But in all this time was not I at Hierusalem: for in the two and thirtie yere of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, came I vnto the king, & after certayne dayes obtayned I licence of the king to come to Hierusalem.

7 And I gat knowledge of the euyll that Eliasib dyd for Tobia, in that he had made hym a chamber in the court of the house of God,

8 And it greeued me sore: therefore I cast foorth all the vessels of the house of Tobia out of the chamber:

9 And commaunded them to clense the chambers, and thyther brought I againe the vessels of the house of God, with the meate offring, and the incense.

10 And I perceaued that the portions of the Leuites had not ben geuen them, and that euery one was fled to his land, euen the Leuites and singers that executed the worke.

11 Then reproued I the rulers, and sayd: Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

12 Then brought all Iuda the tythes of corne, and wine, and oyle, vnto the treasure.

13 And I made treasures ouer the treasure, euen Selemiah the priest, and Zadoc the scribe, and of the Leuites, Phadaia: and vnder their hand was Hanan the sonne of Zacur, the sonne of Mathania: for they were counted faythful, and their office was to distribute the portions vnto their brethren.

14 Thinke vpon me O my God herein, and wype not out my mercie that I haue shewed on the house of my God, and on the offices therof.

15 And the same time sawe I in Iuda some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheues, and which laded asses also with wine, grapes, and figges, and all burthens, and brought them into Hierusalem vpon the Sabbath day: And I rebuked them earnestly the same day that they solde the vitayles.

16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish and all maner of ware, and solde on the Sabbath vnto the childre of Iuda, euen in Hierusalem.